The Warriors made an aggressive push to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo before the deadline, reportedly offering the Bucks four unprotected first-round picks. It doesn't seem like they'll do the same this summer. Anthony Slater, who covers Golden State for ESPN, said on 95.7 The Game that the team doesn't have the same "level of thirst" for star hunting that it did over the past year and a half.
That would probably be different if the Warriors could make a top offer to the Bucks for Giannis, but as Slater pointed out, they couldn't even construct a top-three package.
Anthony Slater: Warriors don't have the same "level of thirst" to go big-game hunting, as they've had over the last 18 months@anthonyVslater | @WillardAndDibs pic.twitter.com/oxu8lwU9JT
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) May 21, 2026
Golden State's odds of landing Antetokounmpo this offseason weren't high, which is why the team tried hard to get him before the deadline. The front office knew competition would increase over the summer, with teams gaining additional draft capital, so it was now or never for them.
Does that mean that the Warriors won't try this summer? No. Slater said they don't have the same level of thirst, but they could still make an offer. They have the awareness that it won't be enough, which is why they're pulling back.
Warriors reportedly won't be as aggressive in star pursuit
Golden State isn't high on Milwaukee's list when it comes to Antetokounmpo suitors. The Warriors don't have the young talent to offer the Bucks. They kept hold of Jonathan Kuminga for as long as they did, hoping he'd land them a star-level talent, only to trade him to the Hawks for Kristaps Porziņġis before the deadline after mismanaging his situation.
Milwaukee can get more out of other teams, like Miami. What would be ideal is for Portland to join the mix. That probably isn't a preferred destination for Antetokounmpo, though, and that matters, considering he has a player option for the 2027-28 season that he could decline to hit free agency.
Maybe if it were eight years ago, Giannis would have the Warriors at the top of his list, but they're an aging team in the same conference as the Spurs and the Thunder. Considering that Antetokounmpo wants to win a second championship, he could want to avoid the West entirely, so it might not matter all that much that Golden State doesn't seem poised to make another strong push for the former MVP.
The Warriors don't have what the Bucks want, and they probably don't have what Giannis wants, either. That puts them in a tough position for the superstar, and they seem to understand that.
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